B.C. law society to appeal decision on proposed law school at Trinity Western

Jennifer Stahn

Two men walk past the entrance to Trinity Western University, in Langley, B.C., on August 24, 2015. The Law Society of British Columbia is appealing a court ruling in favour of a Christian university that would ban sex outside of heterosexual marriage at its proposed law school.

Image Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

January 06, 2016 - 1:00 PM

VANCOUVER - The Law Society of British Columbia is appealing a court ruling in favour of a Christian university that would ban sex outside of heterosexual marriage at its proposed law school.

Last month's B.C. Supreme Court ruling quashed the society's 2014 decision not to accredit graduates of the proposed law school at Trinity Western University in Langley, B.C.

Society president David Crossin says the Court of Appeal should decide the charter issues raised by the case that pits equality rights against religious freedom.

Trinity Western requires students to sign a so-called community covenant pledging to abstain from sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman.

Law societies in Ontario and Nova Scotia have opposed granting the university accreditation, and rulings on those matters are under appeal.

Observers say the case could ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court of Canada.

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